


Sanctity

by geekruminations



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Case Fic, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-26 23:50:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9934208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekruminations/pseuds/geekruminations
Summary: Peggy and Daniel are thrown into a case where it appears as if people are aging rapidly.As the bodies continue to pile up, Peggy and Daniel find themselves investigating a cult and its charismatic leader.But they will soon discover that nothing is as it seems.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to write another case fic.
> 
> Thanks to truth-renowned for being an awesome beta as usual. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

She was calling to him.

This beautiful, angelic voice that seemed to be repeating his name over and over again. The sound wrapped him up like a blanket and he burrowed into the warmth.

The sound grew nearer and nearer and then he felt a sharp tug on his shoulder which jerked him awake.

The last vestiges of Daniel Sousa's dream slipped away from him as he looked up into the eyes of an annoyed Peggy Carter.

"Yes," he said blearily.

"Daniel, I've been calling your name for ten minutes," Peggy said with a huff. "We are going to be late for work."

Daniel rolled to his side and looked at the clock.

8:15. 

They were most definitely going to be late.

"Ugh," he groaned as he heaved himself up. 

"You are quite lazy this morning," Peggy said primly from her spot at the foot of the bed. She was already dressed and ready to go.

"Well, some beautiful English dame kept me up all night," Daniel replied, watching as a hint of blush hit Peggy's cheeks.

"That's no excuse," stated Peggy. "Up you get, Chief!"

Daniel swung himself around and sat with his legs dangling over the bed. He inched closer to Peggy.

"You need to get ready," she commented.

"This first," he replied, pulling her in for a kiss.

They had been together several months now but Daniel was sure he wouldn't tire of Peggy's kisses. He reluctantly pulled away and reached for his prosthetic. He got ready as Peggy headed to the kitchen and after a few minutes, he met her there.

"Breakfast?" He inquired, as he finished doing up the cuff on one of his sleeves.

"No time," she replied, as she put down a sheaf of papers. "We will have to get something on the way."

Daniel nodded his assent and they headed out the door and on their way to the Auerbach Theatrical Agency. Luckily, there was a good coffee shop two doors down that had excellent danishes.

Despite it making them late, Daniel was insistent that they stop to get some food.

After all, a man needed to eat.

 

_______________________________

 

It was calling to him.

There's no other explanation for it. It was a mere trinket in a market in Bucharest and yet he had to have it. He haggled with the man over the price but soon it was in his possession. Once he took a hold of it, it pulsed in his hand and he knew.

This was his destiny.

It was small, orange stone surrounded by silver, nothing special. There was a clasp with a chain so it fit around his neck quite easily. He slipped it on and felt it pulse against his chest. 

In that moment, he felt so alive.

It wasn't until he arrived back home in Los Angeles a month later that he had received his first glimpse of heaven. The stone showed him heaven, let him taste the peace and harmony and stillness that he had been searching for his whole life.

He grew frustrated when days when by but he was not given another glimpse into the 'Garden' as he started calling it. He could hear the sound of birds, smell the flowers, breathe in the air as if he was actually there but yet here he was in, in his crappy house with his parents who pestered him all the time to get a job. Bucharest was a lucky coincidence. His father had to go on business and brought family along. Of course, he knew the real reason he went there. The stone was calling to him. 

The contrast between the Garden and his life couldn't be more stark. And that's why he craved it, needed it so desperately. He did not want to live in his life anymore.

Then one night it happened.

The stone whispered to him.

It whispered words of the Garden, of eternal peace, of the stillness that he sought and craved. It laid out a plan, one that involved gathering people. He was sure he could do that, started planning how to get people and where the plan should unfold.

He had tasted heaven and now he would do anything to get it back. 

And it started with the people.

After all, the stone needed to eat.


	2. Maria

  
Maria sighed as she looked at the phone once more. Her boss had just called to cancel her shift today at the supermarket and she wasn't quite sure what she was going to do. She really needed that money.  
  
She really needed a lot of things.  
  
Maria considered herself a genuinely happy person but the events of the last couple of years had worn her down and she barely recognized herself. The doorbell rang and she huffed a little as she got off her kitchen stool and headed to the door. She only hoped it wasn't the landlord.  
  
She swung the door open and came face to face with her friend, Susanna.   
  
"Maria!" Susanna said excitedly. "You're here!"  
  
"Yes," Maria replied, grumbling. "I lost another shift."  
  
"Don't worry," Susanna said with a wave of her hand. "You are the best cash lady there. You will get some more shifts."  
  
While Maria enjoyed Susanna's company, lately her constant happiness was getting on Maria's nerves.  
  
"And now you can come to the meeting with me tonight," Susanna remarked.  
  
Maria shook her head.  
  
"Not interested."  
  
"Oh come on," Susanna said. "It's really fascinating. This guy, Freddie, he's the real deal."  
  
"Susanna, he's probably just looking for money," Maria stated, crossing her arms against her chest.  
  
"He's not," Susanna replied. "I've been to many meetings and he hasn't asked for a dime. He's all about bringing happiness back to people's lives and isn't that what you need right now?"  
  
Maria sighed. Susanna was never going to let up.  
  
"Fine, I will come with you tonight. Let me just leave a note for the boys."   
  
Maria's two boys were in their teens and while they were self-sufficient, she still liked to let them know where she was. She just hoped they weren't out getting into too much trouble.  
  
An hour and a half later, Maria was seated in a cold, hard, plastic chair next to Susanna in what appeared to be an old building. They were on the outskirts of Los Angeles and Maria hoped this wouldn't last too long. She didn't want to have to drive back home in the pitch dark.  
  
There were about thirty people or so and Maria noticed that some were old and others young. Most people seemed clean cut and respectable and it made her wonder what drew them here.  
  
Finally, this Freddie guy emerged and began speaking. He was young, in his twenties and dressed rather casually. Yet, from the moment he began, he commanded everyone's attention. Maria took the whole thing with a grain of salt and yet she couldn't help but be intrigued by what this young man was saying. He spoke so earnestly that she felt herself being drawn into his story.   
  
He told of how he had lived an aimless life, travelling and yet never really getting anywhere. That's how Maria felt. As if she was never moving forward, try as she might.  
  
Tears pricked her eyes as she listened to the man talk about needing a rest of the hardships of life. That's all she wanted. A break from her current situation. It was becoming too tough, too hard for her to deal with.  
  
And with each word this Freddie spoke, Maria found herself identifying with him more and more.   
  
She wanted the peace he seemed to have found.  
  
Perhaps he knew how she could get it too.  
  
  
___________________________________________  
  
  
"Sandwiches? Again?" Peggy said with a sigh.  
  
"It's not like we have a lot of options," Daniel pointed out.  
  
"Yes, I suppose. But maybe we could..."  
  
A rap at the door interrupted Peggy, and Daniel called out for the person to come in.   
  
The door opened and Rose entered, followed by a man in a police uniform that neither Peggy nor Daniel knew. The officer was carrying a file folder.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Rose said. "But Officer..."  
  
"McGovern," the man stated.  
  
"Officer McGovern insisted on seeing you."  
  
"Thanks Rose," Daniel said. Rose nodded and shut the door behind her.  
  
"Take a seat," said Daniel, gesturing to the seat beside Peggy. "What can we do for you? We don't usually have police officers show up here."  
  
"I know," McGovern said. "I know you people have a special liaison right? It's Peterson. He mentioned one day that you guys deal with the weird stuff."  
  
Daniel looked over at Peggy.   
  
"Well..."  
  
"Look, my boss doesn't know that I'm here but I had to tell someone," McGovern said, leaning forward in his chair.  
  
"What's going on?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Well, ma'am, several people have died lately. I know, that doesn't seem unusual but it's the way they died. You see, I was working on this case where we found a body of an old man, looked to be in his eighties or so. We thought it just happened naturally but then I found the man's wallet."  
  
"So?" Daniel chimed in.  
  
"The wallet had a picture of the man but he was in his forties. It made no sense. I swear it was the same man but my boss, he says, that it wasn't."  
  
"It's quite possible the wallet was stolen," Peggy pointed out. "It might not have been his wallet after all."  
  
"True," McGovern said. "But the thing is, this is the third person who's died in the last few weeks in my division. And there are reports of it happening in other divisions as well. All old people. I looked into it but all the cases have been closed. When I wanted to investigate further, my boss told me to leave it alone."  
  
Daniel and Peggy exchanged a look. That did sound suspicious.  
  
"Anyway, I didn't know if you could help," McGovern commented. "I don't know quite what you do but I figured it was worth a shot."  
  
"Have there been any other bodies recently?" Peggy asked.  
  
McGovern nodded.  
  
"There was one yesterday. An old woman. She's at the county morgue. But the thing is she matches the clothing description of a missing woman in her forties. Her name is Maria Gonsalves. Here’s the file.” McGovern said, handing over the manila folder.   
  
"Perhaps we will pay a visit then," Daniel stated.  
  
"Thanks," McGovern said, standing up and reaching out his hand to shake Daniel's.  "I appreciate it."  
  
Daniel shook his hand and stood up.   
  
"I take it you don't want your superiors to know you tipped us off?"   
  
McGovern nodded. "That would be appreciated."  
  
"Can do," Daniel said. "Peggy, could you...?"  
  
Peggy nodded and stood up.  
  
"Right this way, Officer McGovern," she said, gesturing for the door.  As Peggy showed the officer the way out, Daniel drummed his fingers on his desk. His brow furrowed as he thought about what just happened.  
  
"Well?" Peggy said, entering the office and shutting the door behind her.  
  
"He seems sincere enough," Daniel said. "But we don't usually get tips from police."  
  
"Yes. It does seem rather odd though."  
  
"But odd enough for us to look into?" Daniel asked. "After all, if we get involved, we will be stepping on some people's toes."  
  
"Since when has that bothered us?" Peggy said cheekily.  
  
Daniel chuckled.  
  
"Good point, Peg. We should head to the coroner's office this afternoon to see what we can find out. But first...sandwiches?"  
  
"I suppose," Peggy said with a sigh. "But you owe me a nice meal, Daniel Sousa."  
  
"Deal," Daniel replied, with a grin on his face.  
  
______________________  
  
As soon as they arrived at the morgue, Daniel knew that taking over the case was going to be no easy feat. There were two officers who appeared to be arguing with the coroner.   
  
"I will not!" The coroner said defiantly. "That is against what I stand for and what this job stands for. This woman died peculiarly and it is up to you to find out what happened."  
  
"Well our boss told us to close the case," one of the officers, a big burly man, said. "So we are closing the case."  
  
"This is ridiculous and I..." The coroner trailed off as he noticed Peggy and Daniel in the doorway.   
  
"Chief....Sousa, is it?" The coroner said.  
  
"Dr. Ellroy," Daniel replied. Both he and Peggy were familiar with the coroner, having worked with him on a case in the summer. Luckily, this case so far didn't appear to have children as victims.  
  
"Are you here about the old woman?" Dr. Ellroy said perceptively.   
  
Daniel nodded.  
  
"The SSR would like to take over the case," he announced.  
  
"The who?" One of the officers piped up.  
  
"SSR. Strategic Scientific Reserve. We are with the government."  
  
"Look buddy," the burly officer said, "I am supposed to close this case and..."  
  
"And you are closing it," Peggy replied smoothly. "By handing it over to us. We will need your files on other elderly people who you found recently. You can send it here."   
  
Peggy handed the two confused officers a card with the Auerbach office address printed on it.  
  
"Look, ma'am..."  
  
"Agent," Peggy said firmly. "It's Agent. Now I would head back to your division and get us that paperwork please."  
  
"Yes, but...I..."  
  
"I can talk to your boss," Daniel said. "But I know he's busy. It's best if you just give us what we need. And then this whole case will be out of your hair. Any other bodies that are found in a similar way can be directed to us as well."  
  
One of the officers nodded.  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
The other officer grunted.  
  
"I suppose. We will get you this information."  
  
The two officers left, leaving Peggy and Daniel alone with Dr. Ellroy.  
  
"Thank you," Dr. Ellroy said. "There is something odd about this woman's death that I cannot put my finger on."  
  
"Could you show us?" Daniel asked.  
  
Dr. Ellroy nodded, leading them towards a room at the back.  
  
And as Peggy and Daniel followed, Daniel couldn't help but feel like they were about to get into the thick of things once more.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
